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Olsavksy and Aukerman D3baseball All-America

Matthew Aukerman and Joe Olsavsky Crowned as D3baseball.com All-Americans

| By: Joe Ginley '16, SID
JCU Baseball boasts two D3baseball All-Americans for the first time in program history.
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – A historic first has been achieved for John Carroll Baseball.

The Blue Streaks have two D3baseball.com All-Americans for the first time in program history.

Matthew Aukerman and Joe Olsavsky are D3baseball.com All-Americans. Aukerman is JCU Baseball's first-ever D3baseball First Team All-American. Olsavsky tallied Fifth Team All-America honors. Full All-America list

Aukerman and Olsavsky are the first All-Americans of the Bobby Bell Era, and just the fourth and fifth individuals to achieve the honor. The honors follow a historic season by the program, punctuated by an Ohio Athletic Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. 

Matthew Aukerman is amongst four starters on the First Team All-America list, and for good reason. The Blue Streaks' ace was just about unhittable over the course of the season (and definitively so in the program's third no-hitter in history on April 8 vs. Capital).

The senior steered the Blue Streaks to victory just about every time he took the mound. Aukerman made 13 starts (tied for a program record) and finished with a flawless 8-0 record. He tallied 11 quality starts, including back-to-back clutch outings against #7 Baldwin Wallace. 

The Hudson Explorer concluded the campaign with a 1.88 ERA in 86.1 innings pitched, registering 74 strikeouts. The fiery right-hander led the OAC in ERA and stood second in strikeouts entering the NCAA Tournament. Looking at season top 10's in program history, his 86.1 innings pitched are second all-time, his 8 wins are tied for fourth, and his 74 K's are tied for sixth.

Aukerman hauled in a wide variety of other recognition leading up to this historic All-America selection. A First Team All-OAC and OAC All-Tournament Team selection, Aukerman became just the third OAC Pitcher of the Year in program history. Twice this season, he snagged OAC Pitcher of the Week recognition. Aukerman also secured NCBWA Division III Pitcher of the Week and D3baseball.com Team of the Week accolades. Additionally, he'll discover tomorrow if he makes the cut for ABCA/Rawlings All-America. 

Aukerman was the only representative from the OAC on the D3baseball First Team All-America list. The OAC sent three squads to the NCAA Tournament this year. 

"Auk's hard work and determination is the reason he is an All-American," said Bobby Bell. "The drive has always been there and this year he took it upon himself to take his game to the next level and make the most of every opportunity. Our pitching staff as a group was better this year under his leadership and he really set a new standard for the rest of our guys."

Joe Olsavsky consistently provided pop in the John Carroll lineup this season. Olsavsky and the Blue Streaks raked this season, becoming a team proud of its consistently excellent offensive production. Olsavsky was the ringleader for the JCU bats this season.

The Pittsburgher missed 12 games to start the season due to injury, but he dominated upon his return. The shortstop topped the team with a .449 batting average, which also leads the OAC. The slugger finished with 43 RBI (second only to Justin Hanley), tied for the team lead with 16 doubles, and clubbed 5 homers. The righty is also quite patient at the plate, with only 11 strikeouts against 20 walks. 

Olsavsky's conference numbers were eye-popping. The junior marked down a .512 batting average and 30 RBI in the 18 regular-season OAC contests. He notched a hit in 21 of 22 games against OAC foes (including the tournament). The Central Catholic grad enjoyed 19 games with 2 hits, including 9 contests with 3 or more hits. 

A First Team All-OAC selection, Olsavsky secured the OAC Tournament MVP trophy after leading JCU to the promised land. En route, he added OAC Hitter of the Week and D3baseball.com Team of the Week accolades. 

The 5-tool player also helped out of the bullpen, including pitching the last out of the OAC Tournament. Following this season, his name abounds in the program single-season top 10 lists, including sixth in batting average (.449), third in slugging (.691), fifth in on-base percentage (.529), tied for fifth in doubles (16), tied for 10th in RBI (43), tied for fifth in stolen bases (23).

"I'm beyond excited for Joe, after a small setback with an injury early on, I wondered if this may impact his opportunity for All-American, but that never stopped Joe," said Bell. "He showed up day in and day out all year long. He was on a mission to make sure this team won an OAC title; getting All-American was just a byproduct. He is a true leader and an incredible person! He gives everything he has and he lifts everyone around him always hoping that the team has success."

The full historical list of D3baseball All-Americans is below:

JCU's D3baseball.com All-Americans:
2023: Matthew Aukerman: 1st Team; Joe Olsavsky: 5th Team
2019: Patrick Keohane: 3rd Team 
2015: Andrew Doring: 2nd Team
2014: Jimmy Spagna: 3rd Team
2013: Jimmy Spagna: Honorable Mention
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